For a Good Cause
by Sesshy's Mistress
Summary: The Phantomhive Christmas party is one of the biggest events of the year. Unfortunately, the original Santa Clause can't make the event, so Sebastian has to step in to save the day. Mrs. Clause isn't too happy about it, either…


**For a Good Cause**

**Sesshy's Mistress**

**Summary: The Phantomhive Christmas party is one of the biggest events of the year. Unfortunately, the original Santa Clause can't make the event, so Sebastian has to step in to save the day. Mrs. Clause isn't too happy about it, either…**

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"What do you mean Santa isn't coming?" Ciel demanded as he looked to his butler with angry eyes. This party had been planned and in the works for the past three months! It was the biggest event of the year for the Phantomhive Toy Company. While Ciel did not particularly believe in St. Nick aka Santa, the children of the city, especially those of the orphanages, did believe in him and worshipped him this time of year.

"It would appear that Mr. Clause suffered an accident last night. The only appointment he will be keeping is with the Undertaker," Sebastian confirmed after looking through the information sent to them this morning. It was bad timing for their part as the party was only a few short hours away.

"There isn't enough time to find a replacement," Ciel cursed as he turned to look out the window. Snow covered the ground nearly two feet deep, and a soft flurry was taking place. It was a serene picture, but it did nothing to ease Ciel's worries. "You'll have to take his place."

"Beg Pardon?" Sebastian raised an inquisitive brow at that suggestion. Being a demon, the only interactions he normally had with children were when he was serving them or devouring them.

"You will be Santa. I do not have the time to find a replacement," Ciel turned back towards his butler and waved a dismissive hand through the air. "Is that a problem?" A smile tugged at the edge of Ciel's lips. Though this was an inconvenience, it would prove entertaining to him to watch Sebastian face this challenge.

"No, of course not," Sebastian grinned as he bowed. The challenge was accepted.

"Good, now go and finish the preparations for tonight!"

**…**

It was 6:30 p.m. when people first started arriving at the Phantomhive Estate. With Sebastian otherwise preoccupied, it was up to the other servants to ensure the guests were greeted. Mey-Rin kept watch at the door, welcoming guests while Bladroy and Finnian guided them to the new addition to the Phantomhive estate, a grand ballroom. It was specifically added on for this event since the previous location had burnt in a fire two months prior.

One of the first people to arrive was the Midfords,, including a very anxious Elizabeth. The small blonde child was dressed for the occasion. Her gown was bright red with white lace trimmings. In her hair were clips of mistletoe conveniently placed for the purpose of receiving a kiss from Ciel. Her white gloved hand was held by her cousin and forever a mystery to Ciel and Sebastian, Serenity Amaris.

Serenity was dressed in a long velvet gown of dark red with white fur trimming that followed the hems of the dress. The gown was sleeveless, but she wore a small hooded cape of matching color and trim as her dress. The cape covered her shoulders and the exposed skin of her back. The majority of her hair was piled atop her head in an intricate twisted bun. The rest was styled in tight curls which fell behind her cape to sweep over her back. White gloves encased her hands and slender arms.

From behind the two blondes came Aunt Francis and her husband, Alexus Leon. Sulking behind them was Edward who had hoped to be Elizabeth's escort at the ball. However, his plan to keep his pure sister from Ciel was foiled by Serenity, who insisted he grant the girl her one wish—an evening with Ciel free from Edward's antics.

Edward could not even be pacified by being Serenity's date as she was to play the part of Mrs. Clause this evening. She would be at Santa's side all evening and unable to partake in the festivities. His only condolence was the fact that no other would be able to steal her affections while she attended to the children.

"Wow!" Elizabeth praised as her sparkling green eyes took in the beautiful decorations. Indeed, Ciel had spared no expense for the occasion. Everything looked like a scene taken from a Christmas book. Towards the right lay a grand table filled with an assortment of foods for all to enjoy. On the right was the dance floor where a huge Christmas tree over 20ft tall stood fully decorated and lit. Towards the back was a grand chair with presents surrounding it. That area was decorated like Santa's toy shop, and upon that grand seat sat the man of the hour.

Elizabeth was old enough to know that Santa was not real, at least not the one at this party. However, she was still excited to go and take part in the age old practice of sitting on Santa's lap. Pulling harder on Serenity's hand, Elizabeth guided her to the other end. Serenity laughed at her antics but complied as usual.

"Ciel!" Elizabeth squealed in glee when she saw her beloved approach Santa. He was dressed adorably in a green and red outfit. On his head was a hat of matching colors, and his ears were covered in putty to give them a fake pointed appearance. He was dressed as an elf, one of Santa's helpers.

"Hello Eliza—" Ciel felt the air in his lungs escape him as his fiancé threw herself into him. Her hands wrapped tightly around him, nearly cutting off his air supply. "How…nice…to see… you." His face was just beginning to turn blue before Elizabeth realized what she was doing to him.

"I've missed you so much!" Elizabeth gushed as she released Ciel in order to look him over. "Your outfit is so cute!"

"See, Young Master, I told you she would approve," Santa spoke in a voice that was all too familiar. Elizabeth gasped and Serenity glared as Santa tugged down his fake beard momentarily to show a very familiar face. A grin slid over his chiseled features as Sebastian took note of the hate filled glare boring into him.

"You cannot be serious," Serenity took a step back, fully planning on retreating from this area. There was no way she would spend her entire evening glued to the side of that demon! What was Ciel thinking anyway? A demon was not fit to play the role of St. Nick and consort with an assortment of innocentchildren! An angry flush lit her cheeks as her eyes flashed silver.

After fixing his beard, Sebastian stood and looked over Serenity, taking in her appearance. "Mrs. Clause, I take it?" He grinned at the anger radiating from her from. It was almost palpable. Winking, he licked his lips, practically tasting the powerful energy radiating from her. For one so innocent and pure, she had such a strong killing intent in that energy.

"You're Mrs. Clause?" Ciel spoke, cutting Serenity off as she started to open her mouth to tell Sebastian off.

"Yes," She pretended to wipe some dust off her gown. "Mrs. Monroe is a dear friend of mine who came down with a sudden sickness. Someone needed to take her place and I gladly volunteered. Had I know _he_ would be playing Santa, however, I would not have volunteered to take her place!" Serenity cocked her hands on her hips and her nails dug into the fabric of her dress. It was taking all of her will power not to strangle the demon here and now.

"Serenity," Elizabeth nearly whined in embarrassment. It was well known in the Midford family that Serenity held distaste for Ciel's butler; however, they did not know the true reason why. Whenever they questioned Serenity on the matter, she would evade the topic quite gracefully.

"Ciel!" Another cry of happiness cut into the conversation and a blur of gold and brown whipped past Elizabeth and Serenity to capture Ciel. The blur had accidentally bumped into Serenity, causing her to stumble forward. Sebastian easily caught her, and before he could mock her, she shoved him away.

"Ah, Soma," Ciel groaned as he was forced to endure another crushing embrace.

"Agni," Serenity smiled fondly at Prince Soma's servant who appeared suddenly beside of her, successfully capturing her attention. The fair haired man blushed as he bowed towards Serenity in greeting. "Now, now, have we not discussed how unnecessary those formalities are?" Agni refused to answer, instead coming to stand before her.

"Doesn't she look beautiful, Agni?" Elizabeth grinned. It was obvious to most of Agni's adoration of Serenity. The only one unaware was, of course, Serenity herself. However, because of Agni's deep love and respect for his Prince, Agni would never act upon his emotions. His devotion was too strong. It did not help that she was a noble woman in this land and he was only seen as a servant.

Agni blushed but nodded while Prince Soma added his own opinion, "One would expect nothing less from you, Lady Amaris!"

It was Serenity's turn to blush softly as Soma took her hand and placed a lingering kiss on her knuckles. Though not normally flirtatious, the Indian Prince did hold a fondness for the beautiful woman. He recognized Agni's feelings for Serenity, and even encouraged his servant to pursue them, but Agni was ever faithful to serving his prince.

"Thank you," She smiled to the every energetic man before turning to observe the guests. "It would appear that the evening is starting. I believe that it is time for the butler and I to take our positions for the children."

Indeed, the majority of the guests had arrived, including a flood of children from local orphanages who made their way to the back of the room. This Christmas event was also a fundraiser for the orphanages, but the children would be present for only two hours before they would return to their beds. The rest of the evening would be spent on the dance floor as the adults enjoyed the night.

Sebastian took his seat while Serenity stood to his right. Ciel stood at Sebastian's left with Santa's sack of toys and gifts, the entirety of which were new toys from the Phantomhive toy line. There were other helpers of Santa, but they were in charge of organizing the line of children to see Santa and for passing out sweets.

While Serenity did not like Sebastian and would have preferred to be away from him, she also wanted to keep an eye on him with the children. She did not trust a demon to be alone with them, even if he was sealed in a contract with Ciel. Still, as she watched each child sit on 'Santa's' lap and tell him their wishes, it brought a smile to her face.

It also broke her heart to hear how many of the children wished only to find a loving family. Even so, a toy from Santa's sack always placed a smile on their face, even though it was not what they had wished of Santa. Grudgingly, Serenity admitted that the demon did know how to play the part of Santa well.

Before long, the two hours were up, and the children were being gathered for their return trip.

Sebastian and Serenity stood and made their way to the doors. They would be bidding the children farewell for the night. Sebastian offered his arm, and Serenity took it knowing she had a part to play. The two smiled and waved at the guests who clapped as they walked through the room and towards the doors.

The children laughed and cheered as they raised their toys in the air, already playing with the beautifully crafted gifts. Some stopped to hug Santa or Mrs. Clause, thanking them over and over with childhood glee.

With every hug Serenity felt tears burning the back of her eyes. The familiar embraces brought flashbacks of a pink haired child which tore at the old wound on her heart. How she missed her family and friends from that life. Serenity refused to cry and ruin the evening of the children. No, she smiled brightly instead, hugging each child and kissing their brow as a mother would.

The affection she gave the children and the true love she showered them with did not go unnoticed by anyone, especially Sebastian who found himself enthralled and curious. As the last child left, Serenity stood and she and Sebastian moved to go their separate ways.

"Not so fast!" Elizabeth ran to the two. Only the younger children and orphans had left that night. "Santa and Mrs. Clause deserve a dance all of their own!" She grinned as others spoke their agreement.

"That isn't necessary," Serenity smiled nervously while waving away the idea.

"Nonsense," Lau grinned. He had arrived fashionably late and had yet to greet Serenity. He enjoyed the awkwardness between Sebastian and Serenity and took every opportunity to exploit it. "We insist."

At his words, music began to play, and Sebastian held out a hand for her. Inspecting it for a moment and then the audience around them, Serenity sighed. She would have to play nice for a while longer.

Sebastian pulled her to the dance floor and took her into his arms. One hand held hers while the other rested on her trim waist. Her free hand sat upon his shoulder as their bodies swayed to the music. It was a thick silence that hung between the two, but while Serenity avoided Sebastian's gaze, he took great pleasure in observing her.

Since first meeting her, Sebastian had felt a strange energy from her. It captured his attention and held his curiosity. This woman was a puzzle he was hard pressed to truly understand. Much like Lau, however, Sebastian enjoyed pushing her buttons. There was a fire around her when she was angry, and her challenges were refreshing, especially when their verbal fights turned physical when away from prying eyes.

Eventually the song came to an end, and the two came to a slow stop. Serenity was eager to pull away, but before she could escape, excited whispers filled the air. Confused, Serenity looked around and noticed that some people were pointing above the two. Dread filled her stomach as she and Sebastian looked above and found mistletoe hanging on the ceiling.

"I swear to God if you did this on purpose I will tear you apart," Serenity growled lowly. Her blazing blue eyes held a ring of silver around the irises. That strange power of hers was making her skin glow softly. However, many of the guests were clueless, blaming it on the lighting of the room. Sebastian knew better and grinned wider.

"I don't recall placing any mistletoe," Sebastian was just as surprised as she. His grin faltered as he searched his mind for any clue as to the mistletoes appearance.

"Then how do you explain it?" She whispered harshly.

"Don't just stand there!" Elizabeth ran to the two and interrupted their whispered discussion. "You have to kiss; it's the rules."

Serenity's eyes widened in disbelief and panic. There was no way she was going to kiss this demon! He was handsome, yes, but still a demon that enjoyed devouring souls. The crowd around them continued to look to the two in expectation. A few even began to chant for them to kiss.

Serenity was about to argue that it wasn't proper, but before she could, she found herself being swept back and her hands automatically clutched the front of Sebastian's outfit for support. Her blue eyes widened as Sebastian tugged down his beard so it was away from his mouth.

"Don't you dare!" She hissed when she realized he planned to do exactly what the crowd wanted.

"We're still in character," Sebastian argued before claiming her lips as his own. When she tried to wiggle out of his hold, Sebastian held her tightly to him, making her form mold against his own. The crowd around the cooed and cheered as Sebastian fulfilled their desires.

His mouth was hot against her own, and Serenity was helpless as his tongue swept into her mouth for a quick taste. She tried to bite the appendage, but Sebastian broke the kiss and returned her to her upright position. A heavy blush of anger and embarrassment covered her cheeks, and she quickly broke away from him.

"That was so romantic!" Elizabeth whispered to Serenity as she ran to the older woman's side. Serenity wanted to argue with her, but Elizabeth's joy over the whole ordeal prevented her. Let the child have her fantasies because that was never happening again!

"Now I must insist on a dance between the host of this fine event and his fiancé," Serenity grinned as she diverted the attention from herself and Sebastian to Ciel and Elizabeth. Edward howled in protest for the second time that night, the first being when the kiss had occurred. Once more, everyone else was in agreement, and the two children met to dance. Serenity merged with the crowd while Sebastian left to change into his normal ensemble. With attention diverted elsewhere, Serenity left to find a bathroom. It was easy to find and she quickly locked herself inside before going to the sink and turning on the water. She cupped her hands and gathered some water to take into her mouth. Swishing it around, she spit into the sink, trying to rid herself of the taste the demon had left in her mouth.

It was of little use as her lips still burned from the contact. It had been many, many years since a man had taken such liberties with her. Scoffing at herself, she quickly dried her hands and straightened her attire out before leaving the restroom. She barely made it around the corner before bumping into someone. She began to apologize until she realized who it was.

"Sebastian," Serenity hissed while attempting to walk around him. He caught her wrist in his hand and pulled her back to him. Her body bumped into his, and his free hand wrapped around her waist to hold her there. Serenity blushed as her eyes burned silver. She would not stand for this demon to play with her so.

"I have devoured many souls," Sebastian admitted while pushing her hood away to expose her entire face and her long, curly locks of golden hair. "Humans of all ages, shapes, sizes, and beliefs, but none taste quite as divine as you." His eyes were glowing red as he took in her features.

"What are you?" He spoke mostly to himself as he bent his head closer to hers.

"I'm warning you, back off," Serenity was preparing to use some of her power, but Sebastian surprised her again by pushing her against the wall and pinning her hands above her head. "Sebastian!" He had not been gentle, and her back, if she were human, would have surely bruised.

He grinned against her lips, "I'll be gentle." While his one hand held her two captive above her head, his other slipped down her form, pulling her against him as he pushed her further against the wall, crushing her to him. "I want to savor you."

Serenity was once again assaulted by his lips but his actions did not reflect his words. His mouth was hot and fierce against her own. Her body betrayed her as a shiver ran down her figure and a heat swelled in her lower abdomen. Her body didn't care that he was a demon. He was a male, powerful and strong. Her mind and her body waged an internal war until her mind won and she summoned a powerful blast of pure energy.

Sebastian was flung from her body and she immediately raised a hand to wipe off her lips. Had there not been many guests present at the Phantomhive Estate she would have gladly continued her attack on him; however, she needed to return to the festivities. The more distance she put between the two of them the better.

Sebastian easily recovered and chuckled while pointing a finger above her. Serenity look and, indeed, another mistletoe hung above her head. Cursing the plant, Serenity stormed away but not without sparing him one last glare. Sebastian only chuckled as he stood and dusted himself off before repairing the damage done to the adjacent wall.

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**A botched up Christmas one shot for my readers. I'm not really in the writing mood lately, sorry! I am also writing this between baking/cooking for Christmas dinner tonight! I will get to all of my fics when I can.**

**Note: Sebastian saying, "Don't worry I'll be gentle…. I want to savor you…" came from the newest Black Butler release. **

**Sesshy's Mistress**

**RxR**


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